By Victor Nwegede , Abakaliki.
A non-governmental organization, NGO known as the Voice of Disability Initiative (VDI), has urged Governor Francis Nwifuru-led administration to establish the Disability Rights Law and Commission in Ebonyi State.
The VDI Executive Director, Barrister Catherine Edeh made the request yesterday during a one-day sensitization program on sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls with disabilities and the distribution of sanitary pads and food items at Cirenes Hotel in Abakaliki.
She also urged Governor Nwifuru's administration to set up disability support desks and engage sign language interpreters in the government hospitals to ensure access to health services for persons living with disabilities, PWD in the state.
Nigerian Pilot reports that the non-governmental organization distributed the palliatives to over 160 women and girls with disabilities in the state.
The palliatives included indomie noodles, rice, sanitary pads, condiments, soap, detergent, salt, and condoms, among others.
The distribution of the relief materials to the PWD followed the sensitization program organized by the VDI on sexual and reproductive rights.
The beneficiaries of the program included Albinism, physically challenged women, deaf women, hard of hearing people, blind women, women with visual impairment, women with cerebral palsy, little persons, women with spinal cord injuries, and women with intellectual disabilities among others in the state.
The VDI Executive Director, Barrister Edeh noted that the sensitization program was part of the activities under the 2-year and productive health rights project being funded in 3 states in Nigeria by a United Kingdom-based organization.
The program also featured HIV screening and a health talk on HIV/AIDS delivered by Mr. Andrew Chibueze, Project Manager of the Ebonyi State Agency for the Control of AIDS (Ebonyi-SACA).
While commending the efforts of Ebonyi State government under the watch of Governor Francis Nwifuru for its support to persons with disabilities, PWD, Edeh further lamented the absence of Disability Rights Law in the state.
She noted that the absence of disability support desks and sign language interpreters in government hospitals has compounded the difficulty of accessing health services for women and girls with disabilities in the state.
She emphasized the urgent need for the facilities to ensure that the rights of PWD are protected in all spheres of life and in line with the Convention on the Rights with Disabilities, CRPWD, and the United Nations principles of leaving no one behind.
She however urged the state governor, Nwifuru to rise to address the situation, thereby, ensuring executive backing for disability rights law to protect the PWD rights in the state.
